Suspected terrorist named Iran’s defense chief

Al-Shorfa and wire service
For Al-Shorfa.com
2009-09-07

Terror suspect and nominee for Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi speaks to lawmakers in parliament in Tehran on Sept. 1. (Reuters/Morteza Nikoubazl)

TEHRAN, Iran — The Iranian parliament on Sept. 3 supported President Ahmadinejad’s main Cabinet choices, including Ahmad Vahidi, the suspected mastermind of the 1994 bombing of an Argentine Jewish centre that killed 85 people, as Defense Minister.

Vahidi was the commander of the ‘Quds Force,’ a special unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, at the time of the attack, and is one of five prominent Iranians sought by Argentina in the bombing.

Lawmakers chanted, "God is great," as parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani announced the tally for Vahidi, who received 227 votes from the 286 lawmakers present, the highest number for any of the proposed ministers.

The president received stronger backing in parliament than many in Iran had expected, given that even some of his fellow conservatives had criticised him for nominating unqualified ministers.

Argentina called the appointment of Vahidi an affront to Argentine justice and to the 85 victims of the attack.

Interpol issued a "red notice" for Vahidi in 2007, placing him on the equivalent of its Most Wanted list. An Interpol spokeswoman said that the notice will still be valid even though he will bear a diplomatic passport as a government minister.

Shortly before the Cabinet vote, Ahmadinejad told parliament that Western countries he accuses of stoking post-election unrest deserve "a crushing response from lawmakers to disappoint them."

On another issue, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, offered the opportunity of a possible compromise with the West, saying that Iran would present new proposals and be ready to open talks with the P5+1 governments to ease international concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme lest the UN impose stricter sanction on Iran.

Ahmadinejad, however, was as defiant as ever on Sept. 3, saying, "No one can impose sanctions on Iran anymore." Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hasan Qashqavi also took a tough stance, proclaiming that Iran would not bend to Western deadlines imposed with "threats and pressure."

[AP]

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